Brake



April 21, 1931. G. F. HOUSTON BRAKE Filed Nov'. '7, 1929 'l 5 a .I u

INVENTOR. GEORGE F. HOUSTON A TTORNEY atented Apr. 21, 1931l Unirse STATI-:s

PATENT ortica GEORGE F.. HOUSTON, F SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, ASSIGNOB. TO BENDIX BRAKE COM'.- PANY, 0F SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS BRAKE Application` led November 7, 1929. Serial No. 405,323.

This invention relates to brakes and is illustrated as embodied in anfinternal expanding brake for use on automobiles. One object of the invention is to overcome the necessity of taking up slack in the brake rods.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for easily and surely adjusting the length of a brake band without aifecting the actuating means.

A. further object of the invention is to provide an adjustment for length of the brake shoe which will leave the shoe properly anchored to decrease the likelihood of a click which occurs when the shoe hits the anchor.

The objects are accomplished principallj7 by providing a plate at one end of the brake l shoe which is relatively movable to said shoe and with which the actuating means cooperates, and providing an eccentric cam for se determining the relative position of the plate and the shoe.

In the drawings, in which one embodiment of the invention is illustrated:

Figure 1 is a vertical cross section of this 25 embodiment; and

Figure 2 is a cross section taken along the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

The brake mechanism is supported within the drum 10 by the backing platey 12. It may 3e consist, for example, of a single shoe 14 Hexible in its center portion. It may, however, consist of a plurality of shoes or a band. Attached to one end of theshoe 14 is the plate 16 which is secured to the shoe by the nuts `and bolts 18 which extend through slots in the shoe. By loosening these nuts the relative position iot the plate'and shoe may be adjusted. To aid in this adjustment, the eccentric 20 is provided, which may be turned by the head 22 Which projects through a slot in the backing plate. Pivoted to the anchor plate 16 at 24 is the actuating spreader 26. At the upper end of this spreader is a roller 28 which co-acts with the other end of the brake shoe. Near the roller 28 an actuating cable or rod 30 is attached to this spreader, said'cable 30 extending through the backing plate to the brake control mechanism of the 50 car. An anchor 32 is provided between the two endsof the shoe and is reinforced by the studs 38.

In operating the brake, the cable 30 raises the spreader 26 which spreads apart the two ends of the brake shoes let until they are pressed against the brake drum 10. The drum then thrusts the shoe 14 or the anchor plate attached thereto against the anchor 32. As the brake lining wears, adjustment may be made by loosening the nuts 18 and turning the eccentric 20, thus spacing the shoe further from the anchor. The lock nut on the eccentric and the nuts 18 are then tightened to Ahold the parts inplace. In this adjustment, it isr obvious that the actuating mechanism is not affected because it isattached to the anchor plate 16 which was not moved in the adjustment. kLikewise the anchor plate itself remains against the anchor 32, thus decreasing the danger of clicking which occurs when a shoe is thrust against the anchor. Suitable release springs and center- 1n adjustments are, of course, provided.

ile but one illustrative embodiment of my invention has been described in detail,

it is not my intention to limit the scope of my invention to that particular embodiment or otherwise than by the terms of the appended claims.'

I claim:

1. Braking mechanism including friction .means, an anchor plate attached thereto, an

-ing the anchor plate and friction means in said position.

8. A brake mechanism including friction means, an anchor plate adjustably attached thereto and a spreader member attached to said anchor plate and carrying a roller coolperating with the other end of the brake s oe.

4. A brake mechanism including friction means, an anchor plate adjustably attached thereto anda spreader` member attached to said anchor plate and carrying a roller co-v operating with the other end-of the brake shoe, the 'co-operating surface of said other end being so shaped that the spreading of the'shoes is relatively small for a given movement of the spreader.

5. Braking mechanism including friction means, an anchor late adjustably attached to one end of said riction means, a spreader bar pivotally attached to said anchor plate and co-acting with another part of saidfriction means and means for moving said spreader along said other part to actuate the friction means.

6. Braking mechanism including friction means, an anchor plate adjustably attached to one end of said friction means, a spreader bar pivotally attached to said anchor plate and co-acting with another part of said friction means and means for moving said spreader along said other part to actuate the friction' means, the part along which the spreader moves being so shaped that the spreading is gradual.y

7. Brake mechanism including a drum, a backing plate having a slot therein, friction means, an end plate at one end thereof adjustably mounted on the friction means, an eccentric pivoted in said end plate, and extending through said backing plate, the eccentric portion bearing on tlie friction means to adjustisaid friction means with respect to ,said end plate. n v

8. Brake mechanism including a drum, a backing plate having a slot therein, friction means, an end plate at one end thereof adjustably mounted on the friction means, an eccentric pivoted in said end plate', and extending through said vbacking plate, the eccentric portion bearing on the friction means to adjust said friction means with respect to said end plate, and means attached to said end plate, and passing through said friction means, for locking said parts together.

9. Brake mechanism including a drum, a backing plate having a slot therein, friction means, an end plate at one end thereof adjustably mounted on the friction means, an eccentric pivoted in said end plate, and extending through said backing plate, the eccentric portion bearing on the friction means to adjust said friction means with respect to said end plate, and means passing through the friction means and the end plate to prevent undesired relative movement between the two.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name. A 

